From this week’s Galway City Tribune – The country’s two main transport authorities have raised serious concerns about the proposed relocation of the ‘Bish’ secondary school to Dangan.

Both Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have made submissions to Galway City planners who are currently considering proposals for a 1,000-pupil school on University of Galway lands opposite Dangan Heights.

The proposal provides for the move of St Joseph’s Patrician College from Nuns’ Island to a state-of-the-art 11,134 sqm school comprising of classrooms, specialist room accommodation, a multi-purpose PE hall and a special needs unit to be spread over two to four storeys.

In a submission to planners, TII has expressed disquiet that the proposed development is at variance with national policy in relation to control of development “on or affecting national roads” and that the proposed development would “by itself or by the precedent it would set . . . “would adversely affect the operation and safety of the national road network”.

Referring to the development’s adjacency to the proposed route for the Galway City Ring Road, they stated: “The proposed development could prejudice plans for the delivery of this scheme.”

The NTA stated that they are concerned the proposed layout of the development “will encourage a high number of trips to the school by car”.

This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the July 14 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.